The Right Thing
by LJLanham
Summary: One shot following "The Maggots in the Meathead" ... Booth's thoughts in the middle of the night.


_**AN- So, we all know that fluff is my forte… but in the wake of all the great angsty one- shots written for GCatsPjs birthday, I wanted to try my hand. The following is maybe what you would call light angst, LOL… It's a little rambling, stream of consciousness piece about what goes through Booth's mind in the middle of the night. This one is WAY out of my comfort zone, so reviews… no matter if you like it or not… would be really appreciated! **_

_**Many thanks to ceeray and doctorsuez for reading and giving me the courage to post this one. :- )**_

The Right Thing

I did the right thing.

Falling for Hannah was the easiest thing in the world. She was beautiful and vibrant, and a little crazy. I liked that. Hannah was unpredictable in a way that Bones never had been. I mean, I never knew what would come out of her genius mouth, but it wasn't the same thing.

Hannah was hot. Hannah was exciting. Hannah was there. She was there… always right there in the moment.

One minute I was dragging her out of the way of insurgents' fire, the next we were making love under a fig tree, and the next she was lying in my arms in my bed in DC. Just like she was right now.

I can't sleep, and I'm lying here with her in my arms. We had a crazy round of hot and sweaty, wake the neighbors sex, and she fell asleep right after. I can't sleep. I can't shut my mind off. I just keep thinking about my life and all the turns it's taken.

I did the right thing.

Hannah was everything I wanted. Hannah was everything I thought I needed.

She was.

Was.

_Is, Seeley_. She is everything you need.

Then why can't I stop thinking about Bones? Why am I haunted by the look in her eyes when I told her about Hannah?

Serious as a heart attack. What a jerk.

Her eyes told me everything I needed to know. She loves me. Temperance Brennan loves me, and she knows it. But it's too late, right? I mean, I had to move on. It was the right thing for both of us.

I did the right thing.

I asked Hannah to move in here with me. Hannah. Beautiful, sweet, amazing Hannah. God, she's hot. She's everything I want. Hannah is the kind of woman I can build a life with. She's the kind of woman who will love me for thirty, or forty, or fifty years.

Hannah is a great girl.

I can't wait for her to meet Parker. He's gonna love her, I know it. What's not to love? She's amazing. She's funny, she's smart, she's tough. She loves hockey and baseball. She's a real guys' girl. Parks is gonna be crazy about her.

She's gonna love him, too. My kid is a great kid. He's kind and he's loving. He's funny and he's so smart. He's gonna be a full-fledged squint before we know it. Hannah's gonna love him.

She's been here for weeks… why haven't I introduced them yet?

Hannah said something about shopping at the mall this weekend. Something about getting me some new cologne. She doesn't know I hate cologne. And when she mentioned the mall, all I could think about was coffee… and the steps… and the Reflecting Pool.

I did the right thing.

Hannah loves me. What kind of girl thinks to go and get me a vintage Bakelite phone as a housewarming gift when she was the one moving in with me? That phone is so cool. I can't believe she found it. I really love it. I don't think I ever mentioned to her that I wanted one. How did she know?

Bones.

Bones told her, I remember now that she said that. Of course Bones would know the perfect gift for me. It was really cool of her to help Hannah out like that. But that's my Bones, she's an amazing woman.

My Bones? She's not mine anymore… she never was, really. She said she never could be. But she was wrong. And I think she realized that. I saw it in her eyes that night on the steps. Telling me that she'd had no inclination for sex while she was in Malupoopoo was her way of telling me she was waiting for me.

But I didn't wait for her, did I? I jumped in headfirst with the first hot blonde who happened along my path. But I mean, come on… who wouldn't? The woman I loved rejected me without a backward glance and ran off to the other side of the world. I was in the middle of a war zone. Surrounded by death and despair. And here was this amazing, beautiful woman who wanted me. She wanted _me_. She didn't make me wait five years… hell, she didn't make me wait five minutes. She was there. She is here. And I love her.

Right. I do love her, right?

I did the right thing.

What am I doing?

I'm doing the right thing. The only thing I can do.

But Bones loves me.

I could see it in her eyes when she left tonight. She hated feeling like the third wheel. She wanted Hannah to be the one leaving. But she wasn't. Hannah is here with me. She's the woman in my arms, the woman in my bed, the woman in my heart.

But she isn't the only woman in my heart.

Who am I trying to kid?

Bones loves me… and I still love her, too. But it's too late, right? We had our chance. We couldn't make it work. Bones couldn't give me what I want.

But she is what I need.

No, I did the right thing.

I moved on, just like I said I would. I had to. And Hannah is here now. She uprooted her whole life… not that she really had any roots… but she changed her whole life to be with me. She gave up that vagabond life that she loves so much to put down roots here… with me.

She was willing to change… for me.

Hannah is the woman for me.

It doesn't matter anymore how much I love Bones… or how much she loves me. I gave up my chance at that happiness when I made a commitment to Hannah. Right?

Right.

I love Hannah. I want to make a life with her. I want to make babies with her. I'm having a hell of a lot of fun practicing for that, by the way. Practicing is all that it is, though. It's too soon for us to be thinking of having babies. Hannah is young and her career is really important to her. She already gave up a job she loved to come here and be with me. I can't ask her to give up anything else right now.

I'm doing the right thing.

I push the beautiful blonde hair off her forehead and gently kiss her lips as I try to fall asleep.

When I close my eyes, I see a pair of crystal blue eyes looking sadly at me from my doorway.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

I'm doing the right thing.


End file.
